[Kvud]

I'm waiting for the new firmware!

1.  

 

[gerelmx1986]

  I'm waiting for the new firmware!

1.  

me too

 

[AUDIOBREEDER]

nothing here. the last great discount I saw was 50% off Z1000 walkman.

in Mexico they already came with steep discount, from $5,400 down to 4, 300

 

[rgr555]

what new firmware? what will be the changes and any official link?

 

[lastethica]

Anyone here use clear audio plus n then turn dseeHx on?

 

[robiceli]

So I received my A15 today and must say that it sounds great, lots of detail and very good treble compared to my X series. What I also noticed and didn't really liked is the fact that the A15 isn't as bassy as the x1060. Also it lacks the power of the X.  For example, I compared both players side by side while playing "I Wish It Would Rain Down" by Phil Collins, I had clear bass on +3 on the A15 but still, the lower tones were just missing. For example, the X has the same bass on +1, same as the A  which has clear bass on +3.
For the comparison I used  two of my headphones, the xba h3 and my desktop cans, the MDR-A1. As for power, I turned the volume all way up for a few seconds and the sound started to lose details at 28 which does not happen on my X.
 
I'm not a bass head, it's just that thought that my 6yr old player has more power than my new gear is just annoying. I know this may sound strange for some of you guys but for me it's like I always tell to myself while listening to my transfered music library; "oh, I heard this song and I could "feel" the bass guitar and drums more intensely on my old player".
 
 
Will the sound get louder over time or is my player just volume capped? I wonder.

 

[DrKrFfXx]

If you have an european A10, then the volume is capped and it won't get louder.

I do have the eur one and I use my Sennheiser Momentum at around 13-14 volume, at 28 the volume is unpleasant, deafening. So basically I don't need more power.

It drives the MDR 1A very loud too. And I've tried it on a 50 Ohm headphone, and around 20 it gives plenty of punch.

The player lacks some more energy, dynamics or something, but it can for sure drive efficient headphones quite loud. Unconfortably loud to my ears. I dare to say it is a bit louder than my previous z1060 and a865.

What I like the most about this dap, is that at rather low volumes, it still has definition. The FiiO X3 feels it needs more volume to stretch its legs and deliver clarity and dynamics.

 

[robiceli]

Yes, it's an  european model but my X is an european model as well so I do not understand why this difference in bass and power between them.
With my MDR 1A I have to go up around 18-20 on my A15 to have a decent volume while the X sounds good at 16 with the same headphones...oh well, I will just try to get used to it and *ignore* the power of the X because the A does sound richer and I really like how open it sounds.
 
Guess I will have to let my brain adjust to the new sound signature of the A15.

 

[DrKrFfXx]

The X didn't have the volume cap as far as I know, not even the Eur version. The X also has a warmer signature, so it has more bass to start working with. Maybe that's the difference you are percieving.

 

[castleofargh]

  Yes, it's an  european model but my X is an european model as well so I do not understand why this difference in bass and power between them.
With my MDR 1A I have to go up around 18-20 on my A15 to have a decent volume while the X sounds good at 16 with the same headphones...oh well, I will just try to get used to it and *ignore* the power of the X because the A does sound richer and I really like how open it sounds.
 
Guess I will have to let my brain adjust to the new sound signature of the A15.

there was never a rule saying that the numbers on 2 DAPs had to equate to the same loudness. in fact almost no 2 DAP output exactly the same maximum voltage or max power, so starting from there, if 30 is different, how would the rest be the same?
 
also the volume cap is a voltage limit. when you rise the volume you increase the voltage. what I mean to say is that unless you're using your headphone at vol 30 and it's not loud enough, the volume cap isn't your problem.
not saying there isn't a problem, or that the A15 is perfect, because it's not. but the euro volume cap has most likely nothing to do with it.

 

[gerelmx1986]

in contrast my A17 is 3 notches louder than my X1060, so to speak volume 12 in the X equals vol. 10 in my A10

 

[robiceli]

 
there was never a rule saying that the numbers on 2 DAPs had to equate to the same loudness. in fact almost no 2 DAP output exactly the same maximum voltage or max power, so starting from there, if 30 is different, how would the rest be the same?
 
also the volume cap is a voltage limit. when you rise the volume you increase the voltage. what I mean to say is that unless you're using your headphone at vol 30 and it's not loud enough, the volume cap isn't your problem.
not saying there isn't a problem, or that the A15 is perfect, because it's not. but the euro volume cap has most likely nothing to do with it. Different 

Different models have different sound signatures, I know. Had a few players in the past, like the NW-a3000 (good ol' atrac3 player), nw-a808, nwz-a818 and every single one of them had different volume/power and they also had different sound signatures of course but since I got the X series in 2009, I felt more power in my music. Maybe it's just me but I felt that this was the only player which had that "kick" I liked most. And no, I don't listen at vol. 30 - I just raised the volume for a few seconds to test the power of both players. I tend to listen at 14-16 on my X but to get the same volume on the A, I have to raise it up to 22. Oh and did I mention the bass? I don't know but for my ears, the bass is very weak on the A. So I'm guessing it's capped
 
Oh well, I think this is why the battery life is so good on the A. Less volume means less power drainage so people at Sony sacrificed power for a great battery life.

 

[gerelmx1986]

 
 
Oh well, I think this is why the battery life is so good on the A. Less volume means less power drainage so people at Sony sacrificed power for a great battery life.

You can pair it with a portable head amplifier and a LOD

 

[robiceli]

  You can pair it with a portable head amplifier and a LOD

True, this would be ideal for home listening but because I walk/travel a lot, a bigger sized player would be inconvenient for me as I'm mobile most of the time.
 
I will just stop listening to my X so my brain can get used to the new signature and that's it.

 

[gerelmx1986]

True, this would be ideal for home listening but because I walk/travel a lot, a bigger sized player would be inconvenient for me as I'm mobile most of the time.
 
I will just stop listening to my X so my brain can get used to the new signature and that's it.

I have te XBA-H3 (for sale ) but i note those are difficult to drive with my A17 (international model), not about loudness but feel they sound a bit tubey, not meant warm tube amp-like sound but if sound was played down a drain pipe
 
my MDR-1R sound great on the player albeit sometimes mid-centric but mostly gone